Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB)

Overview

The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB) degree is commonly referred to as the 'medical degree'. School leavers enrol at Otago for the common Health Sciences First Year course and then apply for admission to second year medicine. Graduates may also apply for admission at second year. If successful, students will complete a further five years, then after graduation work for another year under probation in order to gain general registration. There is a wide range of specialisation available in the public and private sectors, involving research, academic medicine, public health, clinical medicine and other areas. Specialties include Cardiology, Oncology, Paediatrics, Psychological Medicine, Surgery, Pathology, Public Health, General Practice and many others. Most doctors complete postgraduate training in their chosen specialty.

Regulations for the Degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB)

Admission to the Programme

Note: For specific enquiries about admission to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programme, intending students should make an appointment with the Health Sciences Admissions Office (health-sciences@otago.ac.nz).

Admission to the second year of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programme shall be determined by the Medical Admissions Committee.

Admission to the second year of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programme is limited to a number, determined annually, of Domestic students (but see regulation 1(i) regarding International student admissions).

Note: ‘Domestic student’ is defined in the Admission to University Statute 2011, clause 3.3.

Applications for admission may be made under the following categories: Health Sciences First Year (see 1(f)) Graduate (see 1(g)) Alternative (see 1(h))

The University of Otago is committed to initiatives that increase the number of students of Māori ethnicity and Pacific ancestry. The Division of Health Sciences is focused on ensuring that New Zealand’s need for a diverse health workforce is met, honouring the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi and promoting academic equity for under-represented groups.

Applicants in any category (see regulation 1(c)) who have fulfilled the requirements as described in 1(f), 1(g), or 1(h) may also be considered in one or both of the following sub-categories:

Māori

Indigenous Pacific (see note).

An applicant in either or both of these sub-categories must provide verified evidence of either Māori whakapapa or indigenous Pacific ancestry and be a permanent resident or citizen of New Zealand, and complete a written statement describing their commitment to Māori and/or Pacific health.

An applicant in either or both of these sub-categories must have achieved a minimum academic standard to be determined by the Medical Admissions Committee from year to year in the course of study on which the application is based.

Note: Students applying under the Indigenous Pacific sub-category need to provide verified evidence of family ancestry originating from one or more of the following Pacific nations: Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, Fiji, Rotuma, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Palau, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Wallis and Futuna, Hawai'i, French Polynesia, Rapanui (Easter Island).

Applicants in any category (see regulation 1(c)) who have lived or been educated in a rural area of New Zealand (see Note) may seek admission under the New Zealand Rural Origins sub-category. If successful, these students may be required to undertake one year of the medical programme in a rural immersion programme. This year will not add to the overall length of the programme.

Note: To qualify for the New Zealand Rural Origins sub-category applicants must (i) have undertaken a minimum of four years of their pre-tertiary education at a school in a rural area of New Zealand; or (ii) have resided in a rural area of New Zealand for a minimum of four consecutive years following the completion of their secondary education. (iii) have undertaken a combination of pre-tertiary education at a school in a rural area of New Zealand and residence in a rural area of New Zealand, for a minimum of four consecutive years. See the Guidelines for Admission on the Health Sciences website (otago.ac.nz/healthsciences) for definitions of rurality used for this sub-category. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Health Sciences Admissions Office prior to applications closing with any questions regarding eligibility for the Rural Origins Sub-Category.

To be considered for admission under the Health Sciences First Year category an applicant must:

pass all of the papers prescribed for the University of Otago Health Sciences First Year course, with a minimum mark of 70% in each paper (but see 1(d));

have a current Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) result.

Selection of applicants who have met these criteria will be based on their marks in all of the Health Sciences First Year papers (67% of the score) and their UMAT result (33% of the score).

Note: (i) If an additional optional paper from the approved list is taken, and provided all of the prescribed papers are passed at or above the required minimum standard, the results in the highest scoring seven papers will be counted for admission purposes. (ii) To be admitted to the Health Sciences First Year course, the applicant must not have studied any university degree-level papers that include a subject that is the same, similar to, or contains significant portions of any of the prescribed Health Sciences First Year papers. Prior university degree-level study in any subject areas must not comprise more than one year of equivalent full-time study.

To be considered for admission under the Graduate category, an applicant must:

have completed, normally in the minimum academic time, at least one of the following qualifications awarded by a university in New Zealand: - a bachelor's degree; or - a bachelor's honours degree; or - a bachelor's degree followed by a postgraduate diploma equivalent to a bachelor's honours degree from the awarding university;

Note: (i) The qualifying degree for the Graduate category will be the first university degree awarded to that applicant. (ii) The grades obtained in a bachelor’s honours degree (if separate from the qualifying degree) or an equivalent postgraduate diploma will be included in the GPA calculation, along with the qualifying degree.

have a current Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) result that is above a threshold determined annually by the Medical Admissions Committee.

Applications must be received within three years of completion of the qualifying degree. Normally, the date of completion will be taken as the end of the teaching period in which the final paper or papers included in the programme are undertaken. Repeat applications within the eligibility period are allowed.

Selection of applicants who have met these criteria will be based on their grade point average (GPA), as calculated by the Division of Health Sciences.

Notes: (i) For guidance on how average grades are calculated, see the Guidelines for Admission into the Health Sciences Professional Programmes at otago.ac.nz/healthsciences (ii) For purposes of admission into the second year of the programme, a second attempt in a First Year paper in the Schedule in which a pass has already been achieved will not be considered. (iii) Applicants offered a place under the Graduate category may be required to pass prescribed papers, to a standard determined by the Medical Admissions Committee, before being admitted to second year classes.

To be considered for admission under the Alternative category, an applicant must be a Domestic student and:

hold a degree from a New Zealand university, and no longer be eligible under the Graduate category;or have completed a degree at an overseas university at a standard of at least NZQF Level 7 no less than three years prior to the application;or hold a master’s or doctoral degree;or demonstrate health-related professional experience in a relevant field to a standard acceptable to the Medical Admissions Committee.

Note: Applicants seeking admission to Medicine with health-related professional experience will be required to demonstrate academic and/or professional experience in the relevant field, to a standard acceptable to the Medical Admissions Committee, as part of the selection process.

have provided a statement of interest and current curriculum vitae, and have achieved at least a minimum academic standard, to be determined by the Medical Admissions Committee from year to year, in the course of study on which the application for admission is based. An applicant may be required to attend an interview.

Selection of applicants who have met these criteria will be based on academic merit and a possible interview. An applicant may apply only once under the Alternative category.

Notes: (i) Applicants offered a place under the Alternative category may be required to pass prescribed papers, to a standard determined by the Medical Admissions Committee, before being admitted to second year classes. (ii) For purposes of admission into the second year of the programme, a second attempt in a First Year paper in the Schedule in which a pass has already been achieved will not be considered.

The Medical Admissions Committee shall have discretion to offer a limited number of places in second year classes to International students who meet all the requirements determined by the Medical Admissions Committee. (See Note (i) below.)

Admission to the programme shall be subject to applicants’ meeting an English language requirement as determined by the Medical Admissions Committee.

Notwithstanding any of the above provisions, the Medical Admissions Committee shall have discretion to consider any applicant who, not having satisfied these regulations in a particular aspect, warrants admission to the programme for exceptional reasons.

Any applicant who

is, or who has been, the subject of criminal charges; or

is, or has been, subject to disciplinary proceedings of a tertiary institution or professional body; or

has been found to have an issue (whether in connection with their mental or physical health, or their professional attributes or conduct, or otherwise) that compromises or is likely to compromise their fitness to practise; or

is found to have failed to declare a matter covered by (l)(i)-(iii),

may be declined admission to the programme by the Medical Admissions Committee on the recommendation of the Health and Conduct Review Group. Any offer of admission made before responses to medical tests or requests for information regarding an applicant’s health status or past conduct have been received is conditional on the information received confirming the applicant’s suitability for admission.

Notes: (i) See the Guidelines for Admission into the Health Sciences Professional Programmes at otago.ac.nz/healthsciences. (ii) The due date for Alternative category applications is 1 May in the year before admission into the second year course; the due date for applications under the Health Sciences First Year and Graduate categories is 15 September in the year before admission. (iii) Applicants for admission in the Health Sciences First Year or Graduate categories must have a current UMAT result. UMAT scores can be used for admission only in the year following the test.

Admission of Students by Transfer

Transfer of students to the Medical programme at the University of Otago from the Medical programme at the University of Auckland (and vice versa) is possible only at Trainee Intern (sixth year) level. Students will be admitted with the approval of the Academic Board of the Otago Medical School and provided that:

a one to one exchange of students can be arranged;

the student has achieved a standard of performance acceptable to the Academic Board;

the Academic Board is satisfied there are special reasons for the student to transfer;

the Otago Medical School has sufficient resources and facilities to accept the student.

Note: Students transferring from Auckland will graduate with the Auckland MB ChB degrees and students transferring from Otago will graduate with the Otago MB ChB degrees.

Division of Class after Third Year

Facilities for the teaching of the fourth, fifth and sixth years of the programme are provided in the Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington campuses. After completion of third year, the class will be divided and students allocated to one of the three schools for the remainder of their programme.

In dividing the class, account will be taken of each student's personal preference as far as possible. However, if the numbers of applicants for entry to any one of the clinical schools exceeds the number of places available, a ballot will be held to determine which students will be required to take a place in one of the other schools.

The division includes international students who will be allocated equally among the three schools. Once class division has been finalised, exchanges between schools will be permitted only if there is a vacant place and with the approval of the Deans concerned.

Note: No transfer is possible between the Auckland and Otago Schools of Medicine at this stage in the programme.

Terms

A candidate must obtain terms in order to sit the final examination and/or to proceed to the following year of study. It is the decision of the Board of Censors for the year concerned to award terms, deny terms, or defer terms. The Board may, for a student for whom terms have been deferred in Second, Third, or Fifth Year, admit the student to the final examinations and allow completion of the terms requirements up to the time of the relevant special examinations. The Board may, for a student for whom terms have been deferred in Fourth Year, allow completion of the terms requirements up to the commencement of the Fifth Year.

Terms will be awarded by Boards of Censors for each year based on attendance, knowledge, professional behaviours and skills assessments, and on the overall performance of each student in all components of the course during the year. Concerns about performance with respect to any of these components during the year can contribute to a decision to deny terms. Such denial of terms can also take into account concerns of a similar nature raised in previous years, particularly if there is a pattern of behaviours that suggest that there is insufficient progress in addressing the concerns.

The Sixth Year will be a Trainee Internship designed to introduce clinical responsibility for patients. It will include clinical modules and an elective period. To be awarded terms and pass the Sixth Year a candidate shall normally obtain a passing assessment from each clinical module and from the elective period. The assessment will be made on performance of clinical and other work, and other assessments. Passing the Sixth Year as a whole is based on all available information and is made as a collective decision by each campus, which is recommended to, and approved by, the Board of Censors for Sixth Year.

Note: In the event of absence through illness likely to be prejudicial to the granting of terms, students are advised to submit a medical certificate to the Dean of the appropriate School of Medicine.

Notes: 1. At the beginning of each year of the Medical programme, each department or the appropriate Board of Censors will clearly indicate to students specific requirements for the award of terms. 2. Sometimes the decision to pass the year can be made only after a further period of observation (such as repeating a module or modules which may require enrolment in additional quarters) and/or by collecting further information from end of year assessments.

Students who are denied terms will normally be required to repeat the year as a whole.

Note: In the event of absence through illness likely to be prejudicial to the granting of terms, students are advised to submit a Health Declaration to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs of the appropriate campus.

Examinations

Examinations at the end of the Second, Third, and Fifth Years shall be conducted by means of written questions and/or by oral and practical, including clinical, examinations. In determining the outcome for the year, the Board of Censors may also take account of the performance of the candidate during the year of instruction.

A candidate for examinations at the end of the Second, Third, or Fifth Years, who has not sat or, having sat, has not passed the whole of the examination may be admitted to a special examination in the following January.

Note: Entries for special examinations must reach the Manager, Student Administration, by 10 January.

No candidate shall be permitted to sit a special examination (other than those permitted on the basis of ill health or other exceptional circumstances) in more than two of the Second, Third and Fifth Years of the programme (but see 8(c)).

On the recommendation of the Board of Censors, candidates for any examination may be credited with a portion of that examination.

Students who have reached an exceptionally high standard of performance in the Second, Third, or Sixth Year, on the recommendation of the Board of Censors, shall be granted a pass with Distinction in that year. Students who have reached an exceptionally high standard of performance throughout the Fourth and Fifth Years, on the recommendation of the Board of Censors, shall be granted a pass with Distinction at the end of the Fifth Year.

In the Sixth Year of the programme, candidates who, in the opinion of the Board of Censors, have reached an exceptionally high standard in any discipline or disciplines shall be granted a pass with distinguished performance in the discipline or disciplines concerned.

Withdrawal from the Programme

Temporary withdrawal

A student who withdraws before the end of the third week of the course in the year of admission to second year classes and who wishes to recommence the following year must first obtain approval for a deferral, which will be considered by the Medical Admissions Committee, and any such applications will be dealt with under the regulations governing admission to the programme.

A student who, at any later time, withdraws from the Medical programme is required to apply for readmission to the Academic Board of the Otago Medical School not later than 1 June in the year prior to that for which readmission is sought.

For applications under (ii) (above) the Academic Board of the Otago Medical School shall take into account the reasons for withdrawing, suitability for readmission, preparedness for readmission and availability of places in the programme. If there are insufficient places available, the Academic Board shall determine which students will be readmitted.

Permanent withdrawal

Students who withdraw from the Medical programme permanently have no right of readmission. However, they may be eligible to apply for admission under the regulations governing admission to the programme.

Exclusion from the Programme

A candidate may be excluded from the programme by the Academic Board of the Division of Health Sciences on the recommendation of the Academic Board of the Otago Medical School on the basis of repeated academic failure and/or other grounds as detailed in regulation 8(d) below.

A candidate who fails to complete the requirements for any year of the programme (other than the First Year) may enrol again, but this concession may normally be granted only once in the programme.

No candidate may normally enrol again after failing to pass a year of the programme (whether from failure to gain terms or from failure in a final examination) whose programme of study has required either both the repetition of a year and a special examination (irrespective of order or the year(s) of the programme concerned) or two special examinations.

A candidate may be excluded from the programme who during the course of their studies, is

subject to criminal charges;

subject to disciplinary proceedings of the University or of a professional body; or

found to have an issue (whether in connection with their mental or physical health, or their professional attributes or conduct, or otherwise) that compromises or is likely to compromise their fitness to practise; or

found to have failed to declare a matter covered by (d)(i)-(iii),

Note: for the purposes of Regulation 8 special examinations granted on the grounds of ill health or other exceptional circumstances are not counted.

Level of Award of the Degrees

If, in the opinion of the Board of Censors for Sixth Year, any candidate has maintained a sufficiently high standard throughout the whole programme, the Board may recommend that the degrees be awarded with distinction.

Variations

On the recommendation of the Dean of the Otago Medical School, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) may, in exceptional circumstances, approve a course of study which does not comply with these regulations.